Arguing


to present reasons for or against a thing:
He argued in favor of capital punishment.
to contend in oral disagreement; dispute:
The senator argued with the president about the new tax bill.
to state the reasons for or against:
The lawyers argued the case.
to maintain in reasoning:
to argue that the news report must be wrong.
to persuade, drive, etc., by reasoning:
to argue someone out of a plan.
to show; prove; imply; indicate:
His clothes argue poverty.
Contemporary Examples

Jesus offered a “new covenant,” arguing that the old way—“an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”—was finished.
What Jesus Really Means Jay Parini January 11, 2014

Eventually he “more or less went over to arguing that slavery was a positive good.”
What Did Thomas Jefferson Really Think About Slavery? Jan Ellen Lewis October 16, 2012

But conservative groups and legislators fought many of the efforts, arguing that the vaccine would encourage promiscuity.
HPV Infects Millions of Men: Vaccinate the Boys! Danielle Friedman March 5, 2011

He penned a piece in the Times after his return, arguing for greater American attention to the country.
The Summer’s Winners and Losers Samuel P. Jacobs September 5, 2009

They were arguing late into the summer of 2008 that America had better worry about inflation.
Bernanke’s Dangerous Game Jeff Madrick June 6, 2009

Historical Examples

He would have distrusted any advances on her part as arguing a certain poverty of personal resource.
The Return of the Prodigal May Sinclair

“No use in arguing this thing on its merits,” he said, curtly, at last.
The Coryston Family Mrs. Humphry Ward

This is no time for arguing; and please remember that I command here.
Turned Adrift Harry Collingwood

It was a gesture slight and trivial, yet arguing perhaps vexation.
The Snare Rafael Sabatini

I did not know that it was the world that was arguing in me.
The Pillars of the House, Vol. II (of 2) Charlotte M. Yonge

verb -gues, -guing, -gued
(intransitive) to quarrel; wrangle: they were always arguing until I arrived
(intransitive; often foll by for or against) to present supporting or opposing reasons or cases in a dispute; reason
(transitive; may take a clause as object) to try to prove by presenting reasons; maintain
(transitive; often passive) to debate or discuss: the case was fully argued before agreement was reached
(transitive) to persuade: he argued me into going
(transitive) to give evidence of; suggest: her looks argue despair
v.

c.1300, “to make reasoned statements to prove or refute a proposition,” from Old French arguer “maintain an opinion or view; harry, reproach, accuse, blame” (12c.), from Latin argutare “to prattle, prate,” frequentative of arguere “make clear, make known, prove, declare, demonstrate,” from PIE *argu-yo-, from root *arg- “to shine, be white, bright, clear” (see argent). Meaning “to oppose, dispute” is from late 14c. Related: Argued; arguing.

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    an oral disagreement; verbal opposition; contention; altercation: a violent argument. a discussion involving differing points of view; debate: They were deeply involved in an argument about inflation. a process of reasoning; series of reasons: I couldn’t follow his argument. a statement, reason, or fact for or against a point: This is a strong argument in […]

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    . the argument for the existence of God based on the assumption that order in the universe implies an orderer and cannot be a natural feature of the universe. noun another name for teleological argument noun (philosophy) the argument purporting to prove the existence of God from empirical facts, the premise being that the universe […]

  • Argumentum

    (def 3). Historical Examples It is incomprehensible; or, as St. Paul says, the argumentum non apparentium. What is Property? P. J. Proudhon It is an ‘argumentum ad ignorantiam’—take this explanation or be ignorant. The Origin of Species Thomas H. Huxley But this, I suppose, is the argumentum ad gubernatorem—to frighten the governor. The History of […]

  • Argumentation

    the process of developing or presenting an ; reasoning. discussion; debate; disputation: The lengthy argumentation tired many listeners. a discussion dealing with a controversial point. the setting forth of reasons together with the conclusion drawn from them. the premises and conclusion so set forth. (def 5). Contemporary Examples Although an undeniably compelling trinity of argumentation, […]

  • Argumentative

    fond of or given to and dispute; disputatious; contentious: The law students were an unusually argumentative group. of or characterized by ; controversial: an argumentative attitude toward political issues. Law. or containing suggesting that a certain fact tends toward a certain conclusion. Contemporary Examples “It resulted in an extremely confrontational and argumentative persona,” Dupont says. […]


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